MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – Tragedy struck on Mexico’s Day of the Dead holiday as two men fell victim to a fatal shooting while paying their respects at a graveyard. Local prosecutors disclosed the incident on Friday, revealing that the grim event unfolded in the Mexico City suburb of Naucalpan, where the two men lost their lives, and a third person sustained injuries.
Traditionally, Mexicans visit the tombs of their departed loved ones during the November 1st and 2nd holiday, commemorating Day of the Dead. However, the assailants exploited this cherished tradition to lay in wait for their unsuspecting victims.
Authorities have yet to release official details regarding the motive behind the attack or the identities of the victims. However, local media reports suggest that the deceased individuals were a businessman specializing in bulletproofing vehicles and his bodyguard.
On the Day of the Dead, families gather to clean the graves of their relatives, adorn them with flowers, and partake in various customs such as sharing meals, singing, or reflecting quietly beside the graves. This peaceful tradition was marred by violence in northern Mexico earlier in the week.
In the northern border state of Sonora, police officers came under attack while traveling between Santa Ana and Magdalena de Kino, approximately 56 miles (89 kilometers) from the Arizona border. The assailants abandoned three assault rifles, a truck, and traces of blood before fleeing to a nearby mountain.
In response to the incident, the mayor of Santa Ana evacuated a local school and postponed all Day of the Dead festivities until further notice. As tensions escalated in the region, several other towns also canceled their traditional Day of the Dead celebrations.
For instance, Benjamin Hill, a town situated 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Santa Ana, called off a parade and altar-decorating ceremony on Tuesday afternoon and subsequently halted all northbound school buses on Wednesday.